Driver Hits Church After Being Seen Revving Engine

HARTFORD — A man was injured Sunday evening when he drove his Audi A4 into the side of Trinity Episcopal Church's office wing on Sigourney Street, police said.

The man in the car, whose name was not available, was seen revving the car over and over in the parking lot of the neighboring Ahern funeral home, at Sigourney Street and Farmington Avenue, about 6:15 p.m.

Kevin Brookman, who was about to put a steak on his grill, said he heard the driver loudly revving the car and thought he might blow the engine. "All of a sudden he threw it in drive and just went full speed," Brookman said.

The car jumped a curb that separates the funeral home parking lot from the church driveway, and then slammed into the church. There was no apparent damage to the church building, although a building inspector was summoned. There were no brake marks either.

Hartford police Lt. Kevin Martin said police will try to determine what happened. The driver was taken out of the car by firefighters from nearby Engine 5, and taken to a local hospital by ambulance.

Firefighters said the man was wearing a seat belt and that the car's airbag deployed.